News | Sunday, 19 July 2009

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Asylum seekers increasingly fearful of racist attacks

Nine civil rights NGOs led by Moviment Graffitti yesterday called on government to take concrete action against a growing trend of racial hatred in Malta.
Spokesperson Andre Callus said that after the recent beating of two Somali asylum seekers in Ta’ Qali, the police had failed to speak to the victims.
Instead the police issued a media statement on the beatings, but “the version of the victims does not corroborate what the police have said,” Callus said. “Until last Wednesday the police had not yet made contact with any of them,” Callus said.
The two Somalis were assaulted in Hal Far by three Maltese persons on Monday 6 July. Some time after dinner, the two went on a bicycle ride and while cycling on the pavement, a car sped up in their direction, overtook them and stopped.
Three unidentified persons emerged from the car, armed with metal rods. One of the Somalis only suffered slight injuries as he managed to escape. The other, Abdifatih Muhammad, who had just turned 18, was attacked.
As Abdifatih lost consciousness, his aggressors dumped him in the middle of the road and sped off. A passing motorcyclist stopped to alert passing traffic of a man lying in the middle of the road – in order to avoid further accidents.
“It still needs to be clarified why in an official statement issued by the police, it was erroneously stated that after the aggression, a motorcyclist has mistakenly trampled on the legs of Abdifatah, when nothing of the sort happened,” Callus said.
“Although these three Maltese persons stole belongings from the person of Abdifatah, it is clear that the main motive was not theft…
"We believe that most of the Maltese people are not racist, but we cannot continue to negate the fact that racism is on the increase.”
Reference was made to the death of Suleiman Abubaker in Paceville in an incident involving a club bouncer.
Abdul Kadir, an immigrant working closely with Graffitti. Said this was not the first time African nationals were abused. “Between 2005 and 2007, verbal and written abuse was rampant, and many were threatening us so we could leave. Leaflets with threatening messages ‘signed’ by the Ku Klux Klan were also left in Hal Far.
“In 2008, things calmed down but they are really turning worse this year. Hal Far is becoming dangerous for immigrants to walk about in the evening. People drive by and throw bags filled with urine at immigrants. Recently, next to BOV in Marsa, a car stopped next to a group of immigrants waiting for work. As they approached the car, they were pepper-sprayed for no reason.”
Also present for the press conference were members from the Jesuit Refugee Service, Peace Lab, Third World Group, Kopin, Migrants’ Solidarity Movement, Koperattiva Kummerc Gust, Alternattiva Demokratika Zaghzagh and Zminijietna – called on government for concrete action to address the rise of racism in Malta.

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